Optimism
by Lil-Samuu
Summary: Oneshot bit of fluff featuring Colette and Sheena.


"Bliss" timeline oneshot bit of pointless fluff. Colette and Sheena sisterlyness.

Dedication: for Ilvinaeda, whose reviews inspired the chibis a bit for this fic I think. I hope that he doesn't mind that and enjoys this fic :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia. Namco own it I believe. I'm just a fan who's written a lot of pointless (usually fluffy) fanfiction about it. Also I don't own the tune Colette's made her own words up to in this fic.

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It was a peaceful night in Mizuho as the two young women sat in companionable silence on the bridge over the river. 

Colette and Lloyd had, once again, stopped in Mizuho for a little break on their exsphere collecting journey. Lloyd was back at Sheena's house, fast asleep. They'd all been chatting by the fire but the effects of a large meal and the comfort of being settled by the fire with Colette had slowly caused the swordsman's replies to shorten from full sentences to half sentences then grunts and, finally, snores. Colette had laughed gently at him then offered to go for a walk with Sheena.

The little angel had sensed that her friend was feeling agitated about their most recent topic of conversation, the summoner's future destiny to become chief of the village. When she had a lot on her mind the little angel found that taking a walk sometimes helped and so she'd suggested this to her friend. The summoner had agreed.

It was bright outside, the stars and moon were lighting up the sky. The blonde broke the silence.

"Full moon tonight," she nodded at it thoughtfully before starting to sing a few quiet, peaceful songs. Her singing voice didn't have the quality that a professional singer possessed but the joy and peace she felt in her heart came through in her songs and made them beautiful.

As she finished a song Colette paused, listening for another sound that drifted through the night. She grinned as she heard Noishe howling, accompanying her singing, joining in with telling the world how nice it was to be alive in that moment. She opened her mouth again but this time she howled along with the dog-like creature's song.

When she'd finished Sheena asked, in amused tone, why she had done that.

"Because I'm happy, and the moon's pretty. Because I can and it feels good, it's fun" Colette replied after a moment's thought.

"You're daft you are," the summoner said, smiling fondly at the angel who simply smiled back.

"Oh, I didn't tell you about the lovely day Lloyd and I had just before we came to visit you did I?" the blonde asked suddenly, not waiting for a reply before launching into an account of what had happened.

As Colette rambled on about seeing some butterflies, pausing to watch a litter of puppies playing in a street of the town they were leaving on that warm, lazy morning, walking through a beautiful landscape hand in hand with Lloyd and cooking dinner together under a lovely sky full of stars Sheena couldn't help but smile. Others who didn't know her very well might have thought the angel was a bit slow, simple or stupid if they heard her talk like this. The summoner knew better, however. Colette could be quite clever and creative sometimes, but she talked about such things as she was chatting about now because she appreciated the small things in life, the beauty and good things in each day that could be found if only you looked for them. She'd kept an almost child-like innocence in her personality even as she grew into an adult.

Listening to the little angel talk made Sheena feel better about the future. She'd been worried about the huge responsibility of becoming chief of her village. Her grandfather had done, and continued to do, a great job of fulfilling that role. She hadn't been sure of how she could even think about doing the job half as well as him. Now though she knew she'd simply have to take each day one at a time, enjoying the good things in it and doing her best to cope with the bad.

"Thank you," she said softly when Colette finished talking.

"What for?" her friend, no, _sister_, asked, puzzled.

"For, well," Sheena tried to find words to express what she meant and settled on the simplest way she could find to put it. "For being you."

"Now who's daft?" Colette smiled, sensing that the summoner was now feeling better, less worried.

She got to her feet and started dancing around a little as she sang her own words to the tune of an old song.

"Tails on doggies and ears on Noishe," she cheered happily. Sheena laughed then, as she stood up, told the younger girl to be quiet otherwise she'd wake the whole village up.

"Sheena's big ribbon and cuddling Lloyd, aaaagh!" the angel didn't even get to the end of the second line before she found herself sitting in the shallow river, having been pushed into it playfully by the summoner.

"Hey, oneechan, no fair, now I'm all wet," she cried in a whiney tone, pretending to be upset as she waved her soggy sleeves at the older girl.

"Wet behind the ears is what you are," Sheena laughed, grinning, as she leaned forward to tickle the blonde behind her ear. Leaning forward was a mistake, however, she realised as she was pulled into the river.

"Oh now that's definitely not fair," Sheena grinned, splashing water at Colette who responded by doing the same.

As they had a water fight the thought crossed the summoner's mind that the villagers might be surprised if they looked out of their windows or walked past and saw their future chief splashing around in the water like a child. But, she decided, she didn't care.

A short time later the now sopping wet pair climbed out of the river and, laughing, walked back to Sheena's house. The noise of the door opening and their chatting and laughter were enough to wake Lloyd from his light slumber. Groggily he rubbed his eyes then looked at the two young women with a puzzled expression on his face.

"What happened to you two?" he asked, not hearing any rain pattering on the window.

"Water fight," Sheena said simply, walking off to fetch some towels.

Colette grinned then bounded over to Lloyd, grabbing him in a hug.

"Yuck, you're all wet," he protested. Then he wrapped his arms around her anyway.

When the summoner returned she paused in the doorway, smiling. Lloyd and Colette were still cuddled together, resting their noses against one another's while looking into each other's eyes. The fact that the blonde's hair was hanging damply around her face added a little humour to the tender scene.

Sheena remained still, not wanting to disturb them and break up the beautiful scene. As she stood still she thanked Martel for blessing her with such good friends. Friends who reminded her that no matter what challenges you were faced with in life if you loved it you could find a way of overcoming them. That was something those two had proved time and time again on the quest she'd joined them on in a time that, now, suddenly seemed so long ago.


End file.
